STATE OF HAWAII: Listing twin-hulled vessel to be removed from Ala Wai small boat harbor

The vessel, Skye, also known as the Navatek is expected to be lifted from the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor tomorrow. The DLNR Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR) notified the boat’s owner some months ago that he would need to remove his vessel as he was $16,000 in arrears in mooring fees and the Skye had become non-seaworthy and could not leave the state’s largest small boat harbor under its own power.

DOBOR officials sought bids from private companies to try and relocate the vessel to the Keehi Small Boat Harbor. A contractor who submitted the lowest bid of $28,000 had started to pump water out of one of the hulls, but stopped work, believing that the hull is filled with mud. Due to the serious concerns DOBOR had as to whether or not the vessel could safely be towed out of the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor channel, they decided to reevaluate the removal and have the contractor pull the vessel out at the old haul out area.

The same contractor, (Xarbin Industries) will do the lifting work at a new estimated cost of $35,000. Equipment is being mobilized today. Once the vessel is on dry ground it will be surveyed again to determine its current value. If over $5,000 the State is required to hold an auction to dispose of it. If it doesn’t sell at auction, DOBOR will incur the entire cost of disposing of the boat.

DOOR O‘ahu District Manager Meghan Statts explained, “Unfortunately when boat owners do not keep up with their obligations or lack enough insurance to salvage their inoperable vessels the burden falls to every boater in the state. We’re forced to dip into the boating special fund, which is made up entirely of fees individual boaters pay for the use of slips, moorings, live aboard privileges, etc. Additionally, we have to follow all applicable laws and rules when it comes to notifying owners of late-payments and other actions that impact their vessels and that process often takes much longer than people expect.”